Thank you for your interest in the 2019 – 2020 Long Island Water Quality Challenge: Low Input Landscaping and Stormwater Treatment on School Grounds.
UPDATE: Thank you to all participating schools, teachers and students. The LIRPC team is thrilled to welcome them into this inaugural STEM competition (2019-2020).
(Please note that the submission period for letters of interest has closed. We plan to hold another STEM competition next year; look for an announcement in late winter/early spring 2020.)
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On this page, you’ll find information about this STEM competition as well as resources to help inform your project.
About the Challenge:
As part of the Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan (LINAP), the Long Island Water Quality Challenge promotes project-based learning in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Long Island schools and helps students develop a greater understanding of how their classroom curriculum can be applied to protecting Long Island’s crucial water resources – with a specific focus on reducing or eliminating nitrogen pollution. This competition also connects students, teachers and their communities to the overall LINAP initiative.
Student teams will choose from one of two Water Quality Challenge categories that is feasible and meaningful to them and their community. The two Challenge categories are:
- Low Input Landscaping
- Stormwater Treatment
The STEM competition is open to any NYS accredited educational institution on Long Island (in Nassau and Suffolk counties) that serves students in grades 6, 7 and 8.
The Long Island Water Quality Challenge is a great opportunity for schools to play a role in protecting local water resources while improving school grounds. On Long Island you are never far from surface waters (and ground water); that holds true for most schools in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Stormwater runoff on school property can transport nitrogen pollution (along with other contaminants) through the watershed and into our coastal waterways. Excess nitrogen in surface waters can cause eutrophication (excess algae growth or “bloom”). Toxic algal blooms lead to low oxygen conditions, fish kills, and degraded wetlands and marine habitats. Excess nitrogen in ground water can result in drinking water high in nitrate (a form of nitrogen) which poses a threat to human health.
Format for the Project Proposals
We ask that participating teams use this recommended format for their STEM Challenge project proposals.
Launch Date:
March 4, 2019
Letters of Interest Due:
May 17, 2019
Project Proposals Due:
February 6, 2020
Request For Expressions of Interest:
For details about submission requirements and how to submit a letter of interest, PLEASE SEE THE REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST.
Resources:
Schools and their teams are encouraged to explore the following websites and resources for information on stormwater treatment and low input landscaping.
